Suspect (video Game)
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''Suspect'' is an interactive fiction
video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...
designed by Dave Lebling and published by
Infocom Infocom, Inc., was an American software company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that produced numerous works of interactive fiction. They also produced a business application, a relational database called ''Cornerstone (software), Cornerston ...
in 1984. It is the third and last murder mystery Infocom released. It was written in highly portable ZIL and released for Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Amstrad PCW, Apple II, Atari 8-bit computers,
Atari ST Atari ST is a line of personal computers from Atari Corporation and the successor to the company's Atari 8-bit computers, 8-bit computers. The initial model, the Atari 520ST, had limited release in April–June 1985, and was widely available i ...
, Commodore 64, Kaypro II, Mac, and MS-DOS. It is Infocom's fifteenth game.


Plot

The player's character is a reporter for the fictitious
newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...
''The Washington Representative''. Veronica Ashcroft-Wellman, a longtime friend and wealthy socialite, has sent an invitation to the annual Ashcroft
Halloween Halloween, or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve), is a celebration geography of Halloween, observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christianity, Western Christian f ...
Ball, where
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...
's high society bluebloods rub elbows, network, and congratulate each other on their fortunes. The paper's editor suggests covering the party as a story, smelling an easy article that could either praise or mock the wealthy. Since it is a costume party, the player's character suits up in a rented cowboy outfit and moseys over to the bash. Many attendees wear masks, making it difficult to initially identify them. Not long into the party, however, Veronica is found dead— strangled with a very familiar-looking lariat, with a bullet from the costume's gunbelt lying near the body for good measure. But the player stashed the rope in the closet earlier, and the bullet is missing from the back of the belt; anyone could have taken them! Nevertheless, the player is the prime
suspect In law enforcement jargon, a suspect is a known person accused or suspected of committing a crime. Police and reporters in the United States often use the word suspect as a jargon when referring to the perpetrator of the offense (perp in dated U. ...
in Veronica's murder. A lot of snooping has to be done to identify the real killer.


Release

''Suspect'' included the following physical items in the package: #The satirical book ''Murder and Modern Manners: A Practical Guide to Murder Manners'' #A business card from William Cochrane for King's Point Realty (written on the back: "''Veronica— Please call me ASAP. Don't do something you'll regret. Bill''") #A receipt from "Costumes Unlimited" for the rental of one cowboy costume with lariat and gunbelt #An invitation to the Halloween Ball thrown at Ashcroft Manor (written inside: "''Dearest... It has been too long since we last talked. Please do try to come to the party. There are so many things I have to tell you. Until then, Veronica''") #A note from the editor of ''The Washington Representative'' asking the player's character to cover the ball for the newspaper #A page from ''The Maryland Countryside'' magazine, featuring an article about developers encroaching on the "Hunt Club" countryside and a society column piece about the upcoming Halloween Ball


Reception

Based on sales and market-share data, ''
Video Video is an Electronics, electronic medium for the recording, copying, playback, broadcasting, and display of moving picture, moving image, visual Media (communication), media. Video was first developed for mechanical television systems, whi ...
'' magazine listed the game seventh on its list of best selling video games in March 1985. '' ANALOG Computing'' praised ''Suspect''s technical sophistication, packaging, and premise, but criticized the game's intrusive "dry humor" and cynical tone. The magazine concluded, "It is certainly complex, detailed and imaginative. I just wish it took itself a little more seriously, both as a game and an example of truly interactive fiction".


Reviews

*'' Games'' #70


References


External links


Infocom Gallery entry
* {{Infocom games 1980s interactive fiction 1984 video games Adventure games Amiga games Amstrad CPC games Amstrad PCW games Apple II games Atari 8-bit computer games Atari ST games Classic Mac OS games Commodore 64 games DOS games Halloween video games Infocom games Single-player video games Video games developed in the United States Video games set in Maryland